Iranian Threatens Full Production of Nuclear Fuel 
By David E. Sanger
January 23, 2006
The New York Times
Original Source: http://www.nytimes.com/2006/01/23/politics/23iran.html

WASHINGTON, Jan. 22 - Iran's chief nuclear negotiator said Sunday that if his nation is referred to the United Nations Security Council for its failure to fully cooperate with international nuclear inspectors it would resume full-scale production of nuclear fuel.
The statement by Ali Larijani, the secretary of the Supreme National Security Council, came in an interview with The Financial Times of London, which published a transcript of the discussion on its Web site. Mr. Larijani spoke in Persian, and the transcript was published after it had been translated into English.
Mr. Larijani's comments appeared to be part of a broader effort by Iranian officials to warn the West of possible retaliation if the United States, France, Germany and Britain make good on their threat to have the issue sent to the Security Council. In the past week a succession of Iranian officials have threatened to cut oil exports, move Iranian assets out of European banks that might freeze them, and end what they termed voluntary compliance with an accord permitting international inspection of any site suspected to be part of nuclear operations.
If we are referred to the Security Council, the government is obliged by Iranian law to lift all voluntary measures, Mr. Larijani said. That would effectively blind the inspectors at a moment when they are seeking additional access to a number of facilities, and explanations about Iran's nuclear activities.
Mr. Larijani spoke as both Republicans and Democrats appear internally divided about how to handle Iran's announcement that it is resuming nuclear research. Senator John McCain said on Fox News Sunday that while the United States had to pursue diplomacy, we cannot take the military option off the table, but we have to make clear it's the last option.
European and American officials say the initial action they are seeking would be deliberately undramatic, and well short of sanctions. Instead, they are likely to settle first for a statement from the president of the Security Council, which would amount to a warning to Iran to reimpose its freeze on nuclear activities and to resume negotiations with Europe. 
Sanctions would only come later, the officials said, and would be limited in scope.
But Tehran's leaders are taking no chances, and in the transcript of the interview Mr. Larijani portrayed his country as the subject of a Western effort to keep it in an industrial backwater. In Iran's case, this is not just denial of nuclear technology, Mr. Larijani said. Iran has been denied technology in a number of fields, from biotechnology to nanotechnology, he said. 
He did not specify how much fuel would be produced if Iran resumed production. An underground facility at the main nuclear site in Natanz was built to hold up to 50,000 centrifuges, which purify uranium, but Iran appears to lack the parts for anywhere near that number, experts and inspectors say. 
Nonetheless, the C.I.A. has estimated that in several years, Iran could produce a significant amount of bomb-grade uranium, and develop a weapon in five to 10 years. Other experts say the time frame could be shorter.